A mass grave of at least 35 males (aged 16-25) was uncovered in Oxford in 2008 and is believed to be connected to the St. Brice’s Day massacre ordered by King Ethelred. The bodies were buried unceremoniously and all of the skeletons display the signs of brutal, execution style deaths.

In 1002 CE, Ethelred, after uncovering an assassination plot against him, ordered the death of all Danes living in the region. The Danes fled to a local church hoping to find refuge, but were instead murdered by the local townspeople.

The remains found in the mass grave are consistent with the time period and methods of execution described in the massacre. To learn more about the recent analysis of these finds, see this article in the BBC.